fryer



March 13, 1928. 1,662,572

F. G. FRYER REDUCING OR REFINING APPARATUS FOR CHOCOLATE, COCOA, AND THE LIKE Filed July 1 1 2 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 13, 1928.

I F. G. FRYER REDUCING 0R REFINING APPARATUS FOR CHOCOLATE, COCOA, AND THE LIKE Filed July 19. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elfl Patented Mar. 13, 1928. r

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, FREDERICK GEORGE FRYER, F YORK, ENGLAND.

REDUCING OR REFINING APPARATUS FOR CHOCOLATE, COCOA, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed July 19,

This invention relates to reducing, grinding or refining apparatus for chocolate, c0- coa and the like, particularly ofthe kind comprising relatively rotatable reducing discs of metal, the operative faces of which are pressed together into a single plane under yielding pressure and are suitably termed to reduce the cocoa liquor, for example, in its passage from centre to periphcry of the disc. i

The present invention has in view obtaining a gradually changing area of reducing siiirtace in successive elemental annular discareas throughout the operativeportion of the disc.

To this end, according to the present in vention, each disc is provided with reducing walls tormii'ig reducing surfaces so arranged that the total area of all those elements of reducing surface which lie in an elemental annular disc-arcaincreases more or less proportionately with the radius of the elemental CliSC-ilL In the embodiment of theinvention hereinafter described, the said total area of reducing surface in an elemental annular discarea increases with the radius,n0t exactly proportionately therewith, but at a somewhat greater rate, than said radius, since it is preferred that a greater concentration of reducing surjlace be provided in the region of the outside edge of the reducing disc.

In this embodiment, the aforesaid reducing walls comprise a radial series of more or less circumferential reducing walls, for instance a concentric series of ring-formed walls of zig-zagtorm, which during operation elttect a relatively high degree of restriction to the outward flow of the material being reduced, for instance, cifcct such a restriction that at timesmomentarysealing of the material occurs.

In the hereinafter described embodiment of the present invention, eachdisc is provided with concentric ring-totmed reducing walls, or rings, having reducing faces the medial lines of which constitute zigzag curves, theouter apices of any given curve being at the same radius from the centre of the disc as the inner apices of another curve, i r

In order to obtain an effective distribution of the reducing surface of the Walls .on the disc,the inner and outer apical angles of each curve are made substantially equal.

The curves may be either equally spaced 1926. Serial No. 123,471.

each pair radially further apart than its outer apices.

Iidsired, rowsot comparatively narrow reduemgpockets may be provided between the ring liormed reducing Walls, or such pockets may be dispensed with, so that there would be between adjacent rings merely a ring-formed groove. i a

One embodiment of the invention is illus trated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan View of a reducing sector provided with zigzag reducing walls or rings, with a broken-oil portion of an ad jaeent sector, and i i Fig, 2 is a section on the line A A in Fig, 1.

Figs. 3, t and 5 are sections on the lines 1:515, U l and DD, respectively, in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a dingran'm'iatic front elevation of a reducing disc built up of sectors, and Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic sectional view ofthe relevant parts ot'vthe entire machine. Referring to the drawings, the sector 1 shown constitutes an cleinei'it of a reducing or grinding disc 12 (Fig, (i) made up of similar sectors, and the iissei'nbled disc c0- acts with a second disc 10 (Fig. 7) made up of sectors similar to those of the first.

The sectors are castings, only one of the two radial edges of each sector being provided with a radial wall 9. The arrows at the left of Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5 indicate theidirection of rotation oi? the completed disc.

Referring to Fig, 7, a pair of reducing discs 12 are mounted in lrnown'manner on a supporting disc 11. which is keyedto the driving shaft The pair of reducing discs 10 are carried by supporting di 14;, 15, of which disc 14 is stationary while disc 155s slidable on guidepins 16 secured to the disc 14, and is acted upon by helical compression springs 17, whereby the operative faces of the reducing discs 10, 12 will be pressed together under yielding pressure.

The reducing disc 12 isprovided with concentric ring-formed reducing walls 2, fragments of which are shown diagramngiatically in Fig 1.. They effect during the operation of the machine a relatively high dicate the medial lines of the reducing faces of the rlngs of reducing walls, and constitute vzigzag curves spaced apart, according to'the present 1nvention, in such manner that the outer apices (as 21) of any given somewhat in the direction of rotation of the curve 2 are at the same radius as the inner aplces (as 22) ofanother curve. In the embodiment shown the curve containing the outer apices 21 is the second curve from that containing the inner apices 22, but the curves may alternatively be so designed that the above oonditlon holds for ad acent curves or for a given curve and a curve of an ordinal number greater than the second.

Inall, the zig-zag curves the inner apical angle (as the angle at the apex 22) is made equal to the outer apical angle (as that at the apex 23) of the same curve. Owing to the above-described arrangement of zig-zag curves the total area of all those elements (as 3, 31, 32) of reducing surface on the zigzag rings which lie in an elemental annular disc-area (as 5, 51,52 respectively) increases more or less proportionately with the radius of the elemental annular disc-area.

The curves may be either equally spaced from one another throughout the disc, or, as in the embodiment shown, the average spacing of outer pairs of adjacent curves may be less than that of inner pairs, for example, the spacing of the outer pairs 24 may be less than that of the inner pair 25. To this end,

in setting out the curves, the inner apices (as 251) of each pair (as 25) are spaced raially somewhat further apart than its outer apices (as 252).

Between adjacent zig-zag reducing surfaces or walls 2 is provided a row of narrow reducing pockets 7 sothat the space between said walls is fully utilized. The pockets are shown of constant width throughout and extend more or less radially from the centre of the disc, and inthe present case, slant disc 1. The nearly radial intervening reducing surfaces of the walls 71 between the pockets 7 will be substantially equally disposed over the entire operative face of the disc, in other words, the total area of all those elements (as 4, 41, 42) of their reducing surface which lie in an elemental annular area (as 5, 51, 52) will increase more or less proportionately with the radius of the elemental annular disc-area.

As stated above, this condition also holds for the reducing rings 2, so that the total area of all those elements of reducing surface Which lie in an elemental annular discarea, for example, the total area of elements 3, 4, 3 and so on, 31, 41, 31 and so on or 32, 42, 32 and so on, which lie respectively in a disc-area 5, 51, or 2 will increase more or less proportionately with the radius of the elemental annular disc-area.

As already stated, instead of the reducing rings 2 being spaced in the manner shown, they may be equally spaced from one another throughout the disc, in which case the said total area of reducing surface in an elemental annular disc-arca will increase substantially exactly proportionately with the said radius, but in the embodiment shown wherein the spacing of an outer pair (as 24) of zig-zag rings is less than that of an inner pair (as the said total area of reducing surface in an elemental annular disc-area increases at a somewhat greater rate than said radius, whereby a greater concentration of reducing surface is provided in the region of the outside edge of the disc.

In the embodiment shown, the pockets 7 vary in depth, the latter decreasing progressively from the most central pockets to the outermost pockets. This will be clear from Figs. 2-5.

At the right or inner portion 8 of the sector shown in Fig. 1 feeding grooves are provided in known manner. Their radial boundary walls may be omitted, if desired.

The ro s of narrow reducing pockets T may be dispensed with or reduced in number. In the former case the radial walls 9 would be omitted; in the latter, they would reduce the number of pockets in a row to the number of sectors in the disc.

I claim:

1. Reducing or refining apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like, comprising a pair of relatively rotatable discs having operative faces pressed together into a single plane under yielding pressure, each disc having a surface made up of elemental annular disc-areas and having reducing walls forming reducing surfaces, the total area of all those elements of said reducing surfaces which lie in an elemental annular disc-area increasing substantially proportionately with the radius of the elemental annular discarea.

2. Reducing or refining apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like, comprising a pair of relatively rotatable discs having operative faces pressed together into a single plane under yielding pressure, each disc h aving a surface made up of elemental annular disc-areas and having reducing walls forming reducing surfaces, the total area of all those elements of said reducing surfaces which lie in an elemental annular disc-area increasing with but at a somewhat greater rate than the radius of the elemental annular disc-area.

3. Reducing or refining apparatus for Ice chocolate, cocoa or the like, comprising a pair of relatively rotatable discs having operative faces pressed together into a single plane under yielding pressure, each disc having a surface made up of elemental annular disc-areas and having a radial series of re ducing walls forming reducing surfaces, the total area of all those elements of said'reducing surfaces which lie in an elemental annular disc-area increasing substantially proportionately with the radius of the ele mental annular disc-area, and the radial series of reducing walls on one disc beingsubstantially coincident with the radial series on the other disc in one relative position of the two discs and substantially out of coincidence therewith in a second relative position.

l. Reducing or refining apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like, comprising a pair of relatively rotatable discs having op erative faces pressed together into a single plane under yielding pressure, each disc having a surface made up of elemental annular disc-areas and having a radial series of reducing walls forming reducing surfaces, the

radial series being of similar form in the.

two discs, the total area of all those elements of said reducing surfaces which lie in an elemental annular disc-area of either disc increasing substantially proportionately with the radius of the elemental annular disc-area, and the radial series of reducing walls on one disc being substantially coincident with the radial. series on the other disc in one relative position of the two discs and substantially out of coincidence therewith in a second relative position.

5. teducing or refining apparatus for chocolate, cocoa orthe like,comprising a pair of relatively rotatable discs having operative faces pressed together into a single plane under yielding pressure, each disc hav ing a surface made up of elemental annular disc-areas and having a radial series of reducing walls with reducing faces forming aig-zag curves, the total area of all those elements of said reducing faces which lie in an elemental, annular disc-area increasing substantially proportionately with the ra dins of the elemental disc-area, and the radial series of reducing Walls on one disc being substantially less coincident with the radial series on the other disc in one rela tive position of the two discs and substantially out of coincidence in a second rela' tive position.

6. Reducing or refining apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like, comprising a pair of relatively rota-table discs having operative faces pressed together into a single plane under yielding pressure, each disc hav ing a surface made up of elemental annular disc-areas and having a radial series of ringformed reducing walls with reducing faces forming zigzag curves, the total area of all those elements of said reducing faces which lie in an elemental annular disc-area increasing substantially proportionately with the radius of the elemental disc-iu'ea, and the radial series of reducing walls on one disc being sulistantially coincident with the radial series on the other disc in one relative position of the two discs and substantially out of coincidence in a second relative position.

'7. lcduciug or refining apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the li "e, comprising a pair of relatively rotatable discs having op erativc faces pressed together into a single plane under yielding presr-uu'c, each disc hav ing a surface made up of eleu'lental annular dise-arcas and having a concentric series ring-formed reducing walls with reducing faces forming zig-zag curves, the total area of all those elements of said reducing faces which lie in an elemental annular disc-area hit-reusing substantially proportionately with the radius of the elemental disc area, and the adial series of reducing walls on one disc being substantially coincident with the radial series on the other disc in one relative position of the two discs and sub stantially out of coincidence in a second rela tive position,

83. Reducing or relinin apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the li re, comprising a pair of relativelyrotatable discs having operative faces pressed together into a single plane under yielding pressure, each disc having a surface made up of elemental annular disc-areas and having a radialseries of ringtlorijncd reducing walls with reducing faces forming zigzag curves, the total area of all those elements of said reducing faces which lie in an elemental annular disc-arca increasing with but at a somewhat greater rate than the radius of the elemental discarea, and the *adial series of reducing walls on one disc being substantially coincident with the radial series on the other disc in one relative position. of the two discs and substantially out of coincidence in a second relative position.

9. Reducing or refining apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like, comprising a pair of relatively rotatable discs having operative faces pressed together into a sin gle plane under yielding pressure, each disc having a surface made up of elemental annular disc-areas and having a concentric series of ring-for1ued reducing walls with reducing faces forming zig-zag curves, the total area of all those elements of said reducing faces which lie in an elemental annular disc-area increasing with but at a somewhat greater rate than the radius of the elemental disc-area, and the radial series of reducing walls on one disc being substantially coincident with the radial series on the other disc, in one relative position of the two discs and substantially out of coincidence in a second relative position.

10. Reducing or refining apparatus for chocolate,'cocoa or the like, comprising a pair of relatively rotatable discs having operative faces pressed together into a single plane under yielding pressure, each disc hav ing a' series of concentric ring-formed reducing walls with reducing faces 'lorniing zig-zag curves, the outer apices of any curve being at the same "adius as the inner apices of another curve.

11. Reducing or refining apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like, comprising a pair of relatively rotatable discs having operative faces pressed together into a single plane under yielding pressure, each disc having a series of concentric ring-formed reducing Walls with reducing faces forming zig-zag curves, the outer apices of any curve being at the same radius as the inner apices of the second curve externally from this curve.

12. Reducing or refining apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like, comprising a pair or" relatively rotatable discs having operative faces pressed together into a single plane under yielding pressure, each disc having a series of concentric ring-formed reducing walls withreducing faces forming zig-zag curves, the outer apices of any curve being at the same radius as the inner apices of another curve, and the inner and outer apical angles of each curve being substantially equal. I

13. Reducing or refining apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like, comprising a pair of relatively rotatable discs having operative faces pressed together into a single plane under yielding pressure each disc having a radially-spaced series of concentric ring-formed reducing walls with reducing faces forming zig-zag curves, the outer apices of any curve being at the same radius as the inner apices of another curve,

' and the average spacing of outer pairs of adjacent curves being less than that of inner pairs.

14:. Reducing or refining apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like, comprising a pair of relatively rotatable discs having operative faces pressed together into a single plane under yielding pressure, each disc having a series of concentric ring-formed walls with reducing laces 'lorniing zig-zag curves, the outer apices of any curve being at the same radius as the inner apices of another curve, and the curves of one disc being of the identical torin oi those of the other disc.

15. A reducing disc, for reducing apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like, having a surface made up of elemental annular discareas and having reducing walls forming reducing surfaces, the total area of all those elements of said reducing sur laces which lie in an elemental annular disc-area increasing substantially proportionately with the radius of the elemental annular liscarea.

16. A reducing disc, for reducing apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like, having a surface made up of elemental annular disc-areas and having reducing walls forming reducing surfaces. the total area of all those elements or said reducing surfaces which lie in an elemental annular disc-area increasing with but at a somewhat greater rate than the radius of the elemental annu lar disc-area.

17. A reducing disc, for reducing apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like, having a series of concentric ring-formed reducing walls with reducing faces forming Zig-zag curves, the outer apices of any curve bein, at the same radius as the inner apices of another curve.

18. A reducing disc, for reducing apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like, having a series of concentric ring-tonned reducing walls with reducing faces forming zig-zag curves, the outer apices of any curve being at the same radius as the inner apices of the second curve externally from this curve.

19. A reducing disc, for reducing apparatus for chocolate, cocoa or the like. having a series of concentric ring-tm'mcd reducing walls with reducing tacos forming zig-zag curves, the outer apices of any curve being at the same radius as the inner apices of another curve, and the inner and outer apical angles of each curve being substantially equal.

F. G. FRYER. 

